The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday launched a 'desi' web based 3D mapping tool, dubbed as 'Bhuvan', almost similar to Google Earth. The application will provide much clearer pictures of Indian terrain, avoiding misuse of sensitive locations such as military and nuclear establishments.

'Bhuvan' will use images taken by ISRO's seven remote sensing satellites, including Cartosat-1 and Cartosat-2, capable of taking pictures even of small objects, like vehicles on the roads. It will show popular places, with high degree of resolution.

Users can access the application from geo-portal, http://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in, for locating images of different places even navigating through 3D environment for drawing 3D objects such as placing of expressive 3D models, 3D polygons and boxes. The viewers can also check horizontal, vertical and aerial distances of various places.

The postal was launched by Minister of State Prithviraj Chavan, at the workshop organized by the Astronautical Society of India, on "21st Century challenges in space - Indian context," amid presence of eminent scientists of the country.

Appreciating young scientists of ISRO, NRSA Director, V Jayaraman said: 'They were extremely enthusiastic and right from the word go our focus was that it should be useful to users in India.''